U.S. Airlines' Delay Benefits Vary Despite Similar Promises, DOT Dashboard Shows
The four largest U.S. airlines—American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines—publicly commit to providing similar benefits for airline-caused delays, such as meal vouchers and hotel stays. However, the specific terms and conditions for these benefits differ significantly in their contracts of carriage and customer-service plans. The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a public dashboard that indicates whether an airline has pledged a benefit, but it does not detail the caps, conditions, or claim procedures. For instance, American Airlines offers food or beverage credit after a three-hour delay due to the airline's fault, while United provides food-and-beverage vouchers for extensive United-caused delays. Neither Southwest nor Delta explicitly publishes an equivalent threshold in their contract texts. When it comes to hotel accommodations, American Airlines may not guarantee reimbursement for self-booked hotels without prior written authorization. Delta, in similar sit...
